Cardinal Timothy Dolan, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB)
Committee on Pro-Life Activities, made the following
statement in response to the news that the Trump Administration intends to
separate abortion from the Title X family planning program:

“The news that the Trump Administration will be issuing
new regulations to separate abortion from the federal Title X family planning
program is greatly needed and deeply appreciated. Abortion always takes
the life of a child and often harms the mother, her surviving children, and
other family and friends as well. Most Americans recognize that abortion is
distinct from family planning and has no place in a taxpayer-funded family
planning program. For too long, Title X has been used to subsidize the abortion
industry. We need to draw a bright line between what happens before a pregnancy
begins and what happens after a child has been created. We will provide
more detailed comments during the anticipated comment period and urge other
Americans who want to draw that bright line between abortion and family
planning to do the same.”

Title X is a family planning program, designed to
provide low-income women with pre-pregnancy services. In its original design,
and reflected in current law, there is a specific prohibition on
abortion-related activities. However, in the years since the program’s creation
in 1970, it has been interpreted to require
grantees to refer for abortion, thus both overtly excluding health centers
who object to such referrals from applying for Title X grants and also ensuring
a direct link between family planning services and the promotion of abortion. This
link is exemplified by the alarming number of Title X recipients that also
provide and promote abortion.

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Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archdiocese
of New York, Committee on Pro-Life Activities, President Trump, pro-life,
federal funding, abortion, Title X, pregnancy, family planning, women’s health,
comprehensive care

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Media Contact:

Judy
Keane

202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops